Use your entrepreneurial skills to help ensure every Queenslander has a home.
UQ students across all disciplines are encouraged to join our Ventures Industry Challenge. In collaboration with our innovation partners, Q Shelter, BHC Creating Liveable Communities, YFS, and Challenge DV, develop real-world solutions to a real-world challenge.
This year's challenge focuses on the complex issue of housing in Queensland as well as the problems and opportunities surrounding Australia's housing crisis. Teams will compete for multiple prizes worth $11,000.
Key dates
Information sessions. Thursday 20 and 27 July 2023
Applications close. 10am, Monday 31 July 2023
Submit your video pitch. Tuesday 26 September 2023
Pitch event. Monday 9 October 2023
How it works
This challenge will run across four stages.
Understand your problem
In Stage 1 your team will be working on understanding your chosen problem.
Make sure to register for the upcoming sessions.
| Time | Activity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2 August | Kick-off session | Join in the program kick-off session, learn more about how the program will run, and network with fellow participants. |
| 15 August | Check-in session | For this session, bring your idea that you are working on for an initial discussion. |
| Self-paced | Video content | Videos part 1-3 will help you to understand the problem you are working on and to empathise with your customers. |
Test your solution
During Stage 2 your team will use your learnings on problem discovery
and begin to test your market. Make sure to register for the upcoming sessions.
| Time | Activity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 29 August | Check-in session | For this session, we'll discuss how teams are going with testing their solutions. |
| Self-paced | Video content | Videos part 4-8 will help you to test your market by rapid prototyping, perform market validation |
Pitch practice
In the last stage of the challenge, your team will be busy preparing and practicing your pitch ahead
for the submission deadline on 26 September. Make sure to register for the upcoming sessions.
| Time | Activity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 12 September | Check-in session | For this session, you'll be refining your solution ahead of pitch practice. |
| Self-paced | Video content | Videos part 9-10 will help your team to refine and develop a compelling online pitch. |
Pitch your solution
Your team will need to submit a pitch video by 26 September 2023 to enter the challenge.
| Time | Activity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 26 September | Submit pitch | If your solution is shortlisted, your team will be invited to present your solution at our pitch presentation. Teams will compete for a prize pool of $11,000 in front of judges and an audience. At least one team member must participate in the pitch. |
Why tackle housing?
Housing access is a current and growing social problem impacting thousands of Australians.
According to the State of the Nation’s Housing Report 2022–23 by the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation conservative estimates are that 377,600 Australian households are currently in housing need: 331,100 households are in rental stress; and 46,500 households are experiencing homelessness.
This is where the Ventures Industry Challenge comes in to innovate new ideas to create affordable and sustainable housing solutions for all Australians.
In collaboration with industry partners
Key partner:
Supporting partners:
UQ Ventures Industry Challenge 2023 is proudly supported by the Queensland Government.
Why participate
By participating in the challenge, you will:
- showcase your entrepreneurial skills to industry,
- build your networks,
- strengthen your entrepreneurial skills,
- work with students outside your discipline
- address a real problem worth solving, and
- have the chance to win a cash prize!
Prizes
All shortlisted teams have an opportunity to present their solution for a share of $11,000 in cash prizes.
Winning team: $5,000 cash
Second place: $3,000 cash
Third place: $2,000 cash
People's Choice Award: $1,000 cash
Judging criteria
- Value proposition (30%) – how well does the proposed solution meet a need and deliver benefits? Outline the value proposition, i.e.: who will be the beneficiaries, what benefits will be generated by the solution, and how will the benefits be validated?
- Solution Viability (30%) – demonstrate how the proposed solution is feasible in terms of resources required for successful development and implementation. Identify and address any financial, technology, legal, market or other issues and how they could be overcome to enable this innovation to be further developed and implemented.
- Level of innovation (30%) – present a design concept, minimal viable product or prototype and outline why this a new or significantly different approach to what is already available.
- Presentation (10%) – to what extent does the pitch tell a succinct, yet detailed and compelling proposal to take action and support the proposed solution?
Support available
Check out the support available for your teams as you progress through the challenge.
Have a question?
For more information about the Ventures Industry Challenge, please contact Ventures.